-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While Spain wallows in the doldrums of economic despondency and political turmoil , with youth unemployment at eye-watering levels and Catalan separatists threatening to tear away at the country 's seams , there is one place where its stock has never been higher .

On the motorcycling track , 2013 's calendar is a parade of Iberian supremacy , with Spaniards dominating every race class to the almost complete exclusion of other nations .

At the forefront of this is MotoGP 's newly-crowned champion : a 20-year-old whose debut season in the elite division has delighted even the most jaded observers of this most daring of motorsports .

Marc Marquez has exploded onto the scene like a grinning Catherine wheel , redefining the expectations of rookie riders and cocking a gleeful snook at the establishment , leaving dazed rivals scratching their heads in disbelief .

After a bizarre disqualification at the Australian Grand Prix threatened his commanding lead in the championship , Marquez kept his head with two remarkably mature displays of disciplined riding -- first in Japan and then during a frenzied final race at Spain 's Valencia circuit , to take a richly deserved title .

As the youngest champion in the history of top-level motorcycling , known by his Catalan fans as `` the Thunder from Cervera , '' he has a vividly bright future .

Someone who knows all about the challenges of being a MotoGP rookie is James Toseland , who spent two tough seasons riding for the satellite Yamaha Team after making the step up from Superbikes , where he was a double world champion .

Now touring with his rock band and preparing for an attempt at the world two-wheeled land speed record , Toseland is a big admirer of Marquez and believes his youth is actually an advantage .

`` It just happens as a 20-year-old , '' said Toseland , who returned to Superbikes before a wrist injury ended his racing career in 2011 .

`` All you 're seeing is a young kid ; he does n't understand the mechanics of the bike so well yet , or the people he 's racing against -- all he 's doing is putting his helmet on , putting his leathers on , cocking his leg over that bike and absolutely wringing its neck , with the confidence of what he 's achieved previously in Moto2 and the old 125 cc class . ''

` Nobody can do something like that '

Herve Poncharal , principal of the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team and leader of the IRTA group that represents MotoGP 's teams , told CNN that Marquez served early notice of his special talent .

`` I remember one of his last races in the old 125 class , in Portugal , '' he said . `` The race was shortened to something like five or seven laps . He crashed on the warmup and he had to start from the pit lane because he pitted to have his bike fixed , so he started dead last , and quite a lot after the last row , but he won that race .

`` He won the championship that year , and from that moment we thought , ` Nobody can do something like that . ' ''

Carmelo Ezpeleta , CEO of Dorna -- the organization that runs MotoGP -- was struck by the way Marquez immediately looked at home in the top class .

`` His personality is really important , '' Ezpeleta told CNN . `` He 's somebody who arrived to the championship as a hero , kind of saying , ` I 'm here , I want to be here . '

`` Immediately when he arrived in the top class he started coming to the MotoGP executive commission with the other riders , and immediately he wanted to hear and give his opinions ; he 's a great talent but also a great personality . ''

Fresh attitude

This vibrant personality is one of the key reasons many see Marquez as the natural successor to Italy 's charismatic seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi .

The Spaniard 's smiling demeanor has not only won him fans off the track , it also appears to have helped guide him through the stresses of the MotoGP season .

`` He brings so much energy , such a fresh way of behaving , a fresh mind , enthusiasm , '' Poncharal told CNN .

`` In Australia -LRB- after Marquez was controversially disqualified -RRB- Jorge Lorenzo , Dani Pedrosa or Valentino Rossi would have left the track and been very long faced . Marc was on a crate , while everyone was packing , eating some crisps , and laughing with his crew .

`` He 's always in the paddock . Although the other guys are walking to and from their motorhome and the box , in between the two they have their sunglasses and their headphones on and are not talking to anybody . Marc is always there , anything that is happening in the paddock he 's there .

`` The attitude of this guy is a big bonus for our championship and it 's so good to see a top guy who is still going out and playing with the Moto3 guys , and being available for anyone . ''

The almost universal affection for Marquez has also given last season 's champion Lorenzo -- who missed out by four points this time despite winning Sunday 's final race -- pause for thought .

`` Mother nature did n't gift Lorenzo the way she gifted Marquez , '' Poncharal said . `` On the riding he can compete with Marquez and he 's showing that every weekend , but Marc is so much more appreciated by everyone because of his nature , and Marc instantly makes you feel at home with him ; he inspires sympathy , and not everybody has got that .

`` And I think Jorge is trying very hard to change his image , which is not as likeable as Marc 's , but this is something that is not easy to change . ''

Personality with great talent

Ezpeleta recognizes the importance of Marquez 's personality , but says it is important not to overlook his talent .

`` The most important thing is to be a very good rider , '' he said . `` Rossi , -LRB- Casey -RRB- Stoner , Lorenzo , Pedrosa and other riders have put the championship at an incredible level , and I think one of the assets of Marc is that he has been beating people like Lorenzo and Pedrosa , who are really great , great riders .

`` Of course the personality is important , but just the personality is not enough -- it needs to be the personality together with a great , great rider . ''

Toseland believes the crew in Marquez 's Repsol Honda garage deserve credit for their approach to blooding the young star .

`` They 've employed a young kid and nurtured him , '' he said . `` They will have put the settings on the bike to where they will see the data and the electronics -- on how he 's opening the throttle up and how he 's riding -- and they will have given him a bit of a safety net at first , because there 's a massive power difference between Moto2 and MotoGP .

`` Then they would have gradually opened up the power , decreased the traction control , the anti-wheelie control , all the settings you can change on a bike , to build his confidence . ''

Marquez was allowed to go straight into a factory MotoGP team -- Repsol Honda -- at an age that was previously prohibited by the sport 's so-called `` rookie rule . '' It was scrapped last year , having been introduced in 2010 to spread riding talent around the satellite teams .

Toseland believes this has been significant , and that other stars have also helpfully aligned to smooth Marquez 's path to success .

`` To join one of the best teams , with what looks like the best bike this year -- and with Lorenzo and Pedrosa both injuring themselves and missing a race early in the year -- for him to then get the confidence of actually learning how to win , and getting a couple of wins under his belt , all those factors put into the pot have just made him so confident in what he 's doing , '' he said .

`` You can see when he 's on track that he 's not fazed by anything or anyone , from the confidence he 's got from having that little bit of breathing space earlier in the year . ''

The next big chapter ?

Poncharal believes that Marquez would have achieved success even without a factory bike .

`` At the moment he has the lot , he 's on what feels like the best bike , which is for sure a bonus , although Lorenzo is showing us that the Yamaha is not so bad , '' he said .

`` But , and this is just my opinion , I 'm not so sure that -LRB- on a satellite Honda -RRB- he would have done a lot less . ''

As well as winning friends with his smiling demeanor and openness off the track , Marquez has also caught the eye with his audacious riding style , which sees his elbow as well as his knee pressing down on the track through corners .

This enables him to better gauge what both the front and the rear of the bike are doing , providing a `` fourth wheel '' to help him get around faster . Other riders have begun to mimic this spectacular and effective technique .

Toseland is among many startled by this evolution , and puts it partly down to advances in racing tires .

`` I used to get my elbow down with qualifying tires , and that 's what it 's all about really -- it 's the tire technology , Bridgestone have obviously developed a tire with the edge grip now that enables the bike to lean over that far , and also enable you to lean off the bike that much with the confidence that the grip is there , '' he said .

`` It 's not just Marquez now , you see others like Stefan Bradl and Jorge Lorenzo with their elbows down . It 's not so much that they 've changed their style , it 's the tire is allowing the bike to lean over that far . ''

They might be able to follow him , but can anyone can catch Marquez next year ?

`` It 's always difficult to say , ` He 's going to be the greatest of all time , ' '' Poncharal said .

`` But clearly if you remember the last 40 years you have Kenny Roberts , then you have the Mick Doohan era , you have the Valentino Rossi era , and I think Marc is ready , if nothing bad happens to him , to write another big chapter of MotoGP history . ''

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Marc Marquez has impressed with his demeanor as well as his success on the track

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Spaniard is the youngest rider to win motorcycling 's top title , and first rookie since 1978

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Head of MotoGP says Marquez has beaten `` really great , great riders '' in his debut season

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Principal of a rival team says Marquez `` brings so much energy , such a fresh way of behaving ''